Elevatable straddle type carrier



p 3, 1958 A. G. SCHRAMM 2,853,308

ELEVATABLE STRADDLE TYPE CARRIER Filed March 27, 1957 IIAJIIIIIIIIIT INV EN TOR.

m 0. 03a BKMWK panying drawings, in which- United States Patent2,853,308 ELEVATABLE STRADDLE TYPE CARRIER Arthur G. Schramm, Phoenix,Ariz. Application March 27,1957, Serial No. 648,978

Claims. (Cl. 280-44) This invention concerns an elevatable straddle typetrailer.

More particularly this invention concerns a trailer, or the like, of thestraddle type having hydraulically operated means for raising andlowering the trailer body and being adapted to carry loads lbetweenlaterally disposed vertical wheel suspensions of tandem type wheels.

One of the objects of the device is to provide a trailer with abottomless body which is adapted to straddle and carry loads within thebottomless body structure, and to provide means to raise and lower thebody relative to the ground;

Another object is to provide a trailer having a body of the straddletype, which is supported on tandem wheels, which may be raised orlowered by mechanical means and have automatic raising means to lift andhold the entire trailer and the load carried by it.

Still another objectis to provide a trailer, of the type abovementioned, with fork mechanism which can be lowered and then insertedunder pallets, carrying materials such as bricks, and having means forsupporting the free ends of the forks within the body after they areloaded.

. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

I attain the foregoing objects by means of the parts, devices, andparticular structures shown in the accom- Figure lis a side elevationalview of a trailer incorporating my improvement;

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof drawn on a reduced scale;

, Figure 3 is a rear end elevational view drawn on a reduced scale;

Figure 4 is an elevational sectional view of a lateral lifting element,drawn on an enlarged scale, and taken on line 4-4 Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional elevational view of the lateral v liftingelement as shown in Figure l, and drawn on'a somewhat enlarged scale,and 1 Figure 6 is an end elevational view of one arm supportingstanchions. I

Similar numerals refer to similar parts in the several views.

Broadly considered, my improved trailer consists of a body frame 2,laterally positioned tandem pairs of wheels 3 and 3, hydraulic means 4for raising and lowering the body, relative to the wheels, and loadcarrying forks 5 within the body. A toying means including drawbar 6 isat the front end of body 2.

The body frame 2 is of the load straddling type made of steel shapes andmembers, and as shown has no floor. included in the body there are rightand left side frames 7 and 7' having bottom girders 8 and 8' from whichfront supports 9 and 9' extend upward from the girders 8 and 8 and backsupports 10 and 10' which extend upward from the rear portions ofgirders 8 and 8' These supports are joined at the top by rails 12 and12'. Angularly extending braces 14 and 14' join the rear end-s of thetop of the'wheel ice rails, respectively, to the rear ends of the sidegirders 8 and 8'.

Rearward from the front supports 9 and 9' there are forward verticalwheel stanchions 15 and 15 which pivotally support forward, rearwardlyextending wheel arms 16 and 16. stanchions to pivotally support theupper ends of forwardly extending rear wheel arms 18 and 18'.

The, wheel arms 16 and 16 and 18 and 18' are supported on short shaftsextending transversely through the bottom portions of the inner andouter members of a and b of stanchions i5 and 15' and 10 and 10. Abearing tube 20 is attached to the upper pivoted end of each of theWheel arms. This bearing is supported in each of the stanchions by ashort bolt type shaft 22. The lower end portion of each of the wheelarms is provided with a wheel spindle 23 on which wheels 19 are mounted.At the lower end of each of the wheel arms there is a lug having abearing pin 24 which is used as a means for pivotal attachment to a link25. Each of the links 25 is attached 'by shackles 26 to the respectiveends of a semi-elliptic leaf spring 27. It is to be understood that eachof the wheel arms is attached to one of the links 25 and that theforward link (25) is balanced by the counterpart (25") at the rear. Thespring 27, as shown in Figure 1, extends fore and aft of the body of thetrailer and is held in the middle by clamp 28 which is attached to aslide block 30.

Throughout this specification, the primed numerals are used to designatethe right-hand parts while the corresponding left-hand parts areindicated by numerals Without the primes. Where the parts are describedon one side, only, of the trailer body it is to be understood that thereare similar parts on the opposite side of the trailer body.

Left and right slide block guide channels 31 and 31' extend upward fromthe bottom girders 8 and 8' to the top rails 12 and 12'. Slide blocks 30slide upward and downward in these channels.

In the center of the slide 'blocks 30 on each side of the body 2 thereis an upwardly extending piston rod 33 which operates in a cylinder 34.

A packing gland 35 at the bottom of cylinder 34 makes a fluid type glandfitting for the piston rod and a threaded nipple 36 at the top of thecylinder 34, provides a connection means to pipe 36a, which leads to ahand-operated hydraulic pump 37 attached to the forward end of thetrailer body.

Introduction of fluid into the space 38 at the top of cylinder 34 forcespiston 33 downward and lowers the slide block 30. This, in turn, lowersspring 27, links 25 and wheels 19 relative to the body 2.

To provide a means for holding the slides 30 at any position along theirtravel, there is a latch bolt 40 working fore and aft on one side of theguide channel 31. An upwardly extending metal strip 43, attached at itsbottom to slide member 30, is provided with a plurality of holes 44,along its length disposed to receive the inner end of bolt 40.

Latch bolt 40 is slidably operated by a stiff metal wire 46 whichextends through flexible tube 45. This Wire and tube extends to theforward part of body 2 and is attached to a resilient latch lever 47which may be positioned in desired positions in notched plate 48 toprovide the resilient urge necessary to insert or Withdraw latch bolt 40from holes 44- in strip 43.

The latch is shown in engaging position in Figure 5, and, while in thisposition is retained by the clamping action of the hole 44 in plate 43against the support 46a on guide member 31. If new the lever 47 is movedto the lowered position 49, indicated by dotted lines Figure l, a strainis placed on wire 46, tending to pull the latch outward to disengagingposition. If the pump The back supports 10 and 10 are made as I 37 isthen operated so that the fluid is introduced into space 38, the weightof the trailer body relative to the spring clamp 28 and slid'e 'memb'er30 is removed, ar d when this takes place thesstrain on wire 46 WlliiItiIiiltidiately the latchboitfro'm the hole inplate 43,

Conversely, if it isde's'ired to latch plate $3 in position as"providedby any of the holes 44, the strain latch lever 48 maybo-moyed to upperposition 49a, whereupon a 'stra'iiii's plac'd ondatch pin' 40 to moveinward, if the bodyis then'inoved' relative to the slide 30, the la'tcli'wil'l'tend in to register,

"A the forwafdf endof the body 2 there is atransyerse tube 50' attachedto side members ,of the frame by threaded""ro'd '49'.Theupwar dlyextending arms 51 of of the vertical arm -s1 with the transverse framemem p,

ber 54 which joiris the fr'ontends ofthe body parts, s uch to enter anyone of the holes 44 that comes asgird'ers 8 and' 8 when'iloaded furthersupport for;

th rear ends or "the fork; ,metn 'ersjmay'pe aiforded by the" hooks"57,whiclri'lare pivotally attached to the rear en'ds""of girders 8 and '8,or by a chain loop 56, also supported on the girders,

a aa 1evsab1ssasaa1s ypewere; having a body franie"with side frames,drawbar at the front end,

latefalIYdis'po'sed tandemwheels supported on wheel arrr'isoneacoff'sa'df side frames, springs connected by links: to said wheel 3 arms,spp en dj on slide blocksyer; ticallyslidable in 'guid'e manners on saidside frames and operated by hydraulically operated pistons, latchir igmechanism for" said slide blocks consisting of a vertical stripsattached attheir bottor'ri ends to one side of said bldclisp'erfo'rat'ed by vertically spaced: holes, latch bolts slidablyoperating in the side of said guide channelsadja cent" saidjperfora'te dtrips, "flXibleWires attachedto said 7 bolts and 's'lidablyoperating infieiiible tubes, said 'wires and tubes extending to the forvvard'part ofsaid 'body frafiieedja'cent"saidfirawbar, spring supported operatingflexible handles attached to the "forward ends of said wires, "havingdetaining means for resiliently urging said wire d bolts to latchingposition with said boltseie tended into holes' in said strip sfand forresiliently urging said bolts to unlatching position with said boltsremoved from said holes in the'str'ips."

27in'an"'e1evatable straddle ype carrier having bodyf'rame With"sideframes, a draw/bar at the front end laterally disposed tandem jwhee lssupported on Wheel arm s'f'on each of said side frames, springs linkedto said wheel arm'sand siipported onjslide blocks vertically slidable inguide'cha'nnels on said side framesand operated by hydraulicallyoperated pistonsiconnected to said: slide blocls;iiit'ermediatelypositioned horizontal transverse frame members joiningtlie' ffon t endsof said body frame sides, means for attaching, lifting, and carrying aload within said body frame consisting of L-shaped fork tines pivotallysupported at the upper ends of their vertical arms on a transverse barextending across the front ends of said body side frames and with theirhorizontal portions extending rearwardly to slide under and lift a load,and with the mid portions of their vertical portions contactingforwafdly dis posed horizontal transverse body members to limit downwardhingingtmotion.

3. In an elevatab'l 'cafrienhaving a body with side framesguideIchannels in vvsaid'side frames, a drawbar at the front end of said,body, .laterally disposed wheels supported on wheel' arrris" on each ofsaid side frames, springs linked to said Wheel arms and supported onslide blocks vertically slidable in said guide channels on said sideframes and operated by hydraulically operated pistons connected to saidslide blocks, horizontal transverse frame members joining the front endsof said body sid s frames, means for-attaching, lifting, and carrying aloadwithinsaid body frame consisting of L-shaped fork tines supportediinsaidbody with their horizontal portiouscxtending. rearwardly to slideunder and lift a load.

4. In an elevatable carrier having atbody with side framesguidehchannels in said side frames, a drawbar at the front ,endof saidbody, laterally'disposed wheels supportedon .wheel. arms on each of saidside frames, equ lizing means pivotally attached to slide-blocks ver-'tically slidable in said guide channels on said side frames and operatedbyhydraulic means connected to said slide blocks,,,horizo'ntaltransverse frame membersjoiningthe frQnLendsof .saidbodysside frames,means for attaching;

lifting,'and carrying aload within-said-body frame consisting ofL-shaped fork tines supported in said body with their horizontalportions extending rearwardly to slide under and ,lift. a load, and:link chain means extending transyerselyr from the rear portions of saidside frames under the rearends of. the .horizontal portions of saidL-shaped fork'tines; i

5. In an elevat'able carrier having a body with side frames, guidechannelsinsaid side frames, adrawbar at the -front end ,of said. body,laterally, disposed wheels supported on.wheel arms.ion.each of said sideframes, equalizing means pivotally attached to slide blocksveri y.ilidahlelin saidv guide channels of said side frames and operated byhydraulically operated pistons connected through resilient meansltosaidslide-blocks, horizontal transverse frame members joining the front endsof said bo'dyside .frz'tmes rneans for attaching, lifting, and carryinga load within said body frame consisting ofL-shapcd,forktltinesl'removablyattached within said body With,,-their.horizontal. .portions extending rearwardly to slide under and lift aload, and means connected to s-aid hody yfionmaintaining the saidhorizontal portions of said fork tines horizontal when said tines arelifted from the ground. M

References Cited in the file of this-patent 2,774,604 Rendel Dec. 18,1956 Bill July 7; 1953

